The Swedish champion returns following her 2025 Advanced victory, while the Catalan runner seeks redemption after last year’s withdrawal from the 126-kilometer race
The 27th edition of The North Face Transgrancanaria continues to add world-class talent to its roster. The organization has confirmed two new international trail running stars for the Classic category (126 kilometers): Sweden’s Ida Nilsson, the reigning 2025 Advanced champion, and Catalonia’s Abel Carretero (OTSO Team), who is aiming for the podium after a bittersweet performance last year.
Ida Nilsson: A Stellar Debut and the Leap to the Classic
Born in Kalmar, Sweden, in 1991, Ida Nilsson first landed in Gran Canaria in 2025 with an impressive track record, and she did not disappoint. Dominating the race almost from the first aid station in Fontanales, the Craft team runner crossed the finish line in Maspalomas with a time of 08:34:54 to claim victory in the Advanced race.
Her 2025 season was exceptional: in addition to her win on the island, she secured second place at the Valtellina Wine Trail in Italy and fourth at the legendary Western States Endurance Run, showcasing incredible versatility across different terrains.
Before becoming a mountain legend, Nilsson shone in elite athletics. With 10 gold medals in Swedish national championships and two NCAA titles in the US (3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m indoor), she is a member of the Northern Arizona University Hall of Fame. In 2006, she reached the final of the European Championships in Gothenburg, finishing seventh.
Since transitioning to trail running in 2015, she has amassed victories in the world’s most prestigious races: three consecutive wins at Transvulcania (2016-2018), Zegama-Aizkorri (2018), Marathon du Mont-Blanc (2016), and Salomon Ultra Pirineu (2021). With an ITRA ranking of 798 points, Nilsson is a clear favorite for the women’s Classic title.
Abel Carretero: The Challenge of Redemption
Catalan runner Abel Carretero (born 1991) returns to Gran Canaria with unfinished business. After being forced to withdraw in 2025 due to the extreme difficulty of the course, the OTSO team runner returns with the experience needed to conquer the 126 kilometers.
He is no stranger to Canarian terrain. In 2024, he narrowly missed the podium with a commendable fourth-place finish in the Classic, and in 2019, he reached the podium in the Half Marathon distance. Carretero arrives in exceptional form after winning the Trail Zoquetes 36K for the third consecutive year and closing 2025 with a second-place finish at the Everest Trail Race in Nepal.
His recent record confirms him as an elite competitor, with podiums at Salomon Ultra Pirineu 100k, Penyagolosa Trails (MiM), and the Swiss Canyon Trail. With an ITRA ranking of 891 points, the Catalan starts as one of the top contenders for the podium in Maspalomas.
A Top-Tier Lineup
Nilsson and Carretero join an already star-studded field for the Classic distance, including runners such as Hayden Hawks, Eleanor Davis, Henriette Albon, Jonathan Albon, Tom Evans, Josh Wade, Katharina Hartmuth, Maite Maiora, and Martin Kern, among others.
The North Face Transgrancanaria is organized by Arista Eventos and is sponsored by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria through Turismo de Gran Canaria and the Instituto Insular de Deportes; the Government of the Canary Islands with Canary Islands Latitude of Life; the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria through the Municipal Sports Institute; the City Council of Teror; and the City Council of Tejeda. Furthermore, it is supported by The North Face, Hospitales Universitarios San Roque, Lopesan Hotel Group, ExpoMeloneras, 226ERS, Fred. Olsen Express, Sonocom Audiovisuales, and Aguas de Teror.
